While private high schools can definitely offer a better education compared to others, that is not always the case. There are a variety of public high schools throughout the United States that consistently rank as some of the best schools around. Sometimes these public high schools rank even higher than many private schools that are out there. Each year analysts and experts over at the website known as Niche compile data on the best public high schools in the United States. They examine things like SAT scores, ACT scores, AP enrollment levels, report cards, graduation rates, and a variety of other factors that allow them to determine which schools are the best. The SAT and ACT scores are actually viewed as composite scores and then are expressed as a range, which allows them to get a sense of the schools academic standings. So we are going to take a look at a list of the top 20 public high schools in the United States based on that data.
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20. Troy High School – Fullerton, California
First up on the list we have Troy High School. In addition to offering exemplary classes to students, this high school also participates in the International Baccalaureate Program and has many advanced course as well. The high school was given an SAT composite score from Niche that ranges between 2020 to 2070. Additionally they have one of the best STEM programs in the nation and their computer science program was also ranked number one in the entire world.
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19. Pacific Collegiate School – Santa Cruz, California
Pacific Collegiate School is a charter school in Santa Cruz that does a great job of providing students with the skills they need for the modern world. Their SAT composite range is between 1920 to 1970. They offer a variety of classes and programs that focus on modern technology and foreign language, both of which are necessary for students to take. The school also leads a community service team made up of students, and 80% of students here took the AP exam after their course, even though it is not mandatory.
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18. Mission San Jose High School – Fremont, California
With an SAT composite range of 2080 to 2130, next up we have Mission San Jose High School which is also in California. The school has an amazing 100% graduation rate and around 80% of those students are in the honor roll. Mission San Jose High School has consistently received positive ratings and is an overall great public high school. They offer a wide range of AP courses, and 95% of students earn a score of 3 or higher on the exams (the highest is 5).
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17. Horace Greeley High School – Chappaqua, New York
Horace Greeley High School in New York is one of the best schools in the surrounding area by a long shot. Niche gave the school an SAT composite score ranging between 1980 to 2010, and students from the 2014 graduating class were admitted to seven of the eight Ivy League schools in the United States. They offer a wide range of courses spread throughout the sciences, maths, linguistics, and more in addition to offering 18 AP courses as well.
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16. Corona del Mar High School – Newport, California
We are headed back to California for the number 16 spot on our list. If you are familiar with the Newport area of California, then it’s no real surprise as to why this school is ranked so highly. They consistent receive high praise as a public high school, and received an SAT composite score from Niche with the range of 1980-2010. Corona del Mar High School offers a wide range of classes, and are introducing a new program to help gifted students learn even more.
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15. Adlai E. Stevenson High School – Lincolnshire, Illinois
Easily mistaken for a college university, Adlai E. Stevenson High School is an absolutely great school. Their student body is over 4,000 which makes them the largest school on our list, and yet they are still one of the best. All students must take six semesters of math, eight semester of English, six of science, six of social studies, and then have to pick from a host of other classes before being eligible to graduate. 75% of the student body enrolls in at least one AP course, and they have an SAT composite range between 1980 and 2010.
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14. Northside College Preparatory High School – Chicago, Illinois
Students at Northside College Preparatory High School essentially revise a private education often seen at prep-schools, however it is free for all those living within the school district. They eared an SAT composite score between 202 to 2070 from Niche, and the offer a wide selection of classes. The majority of classes that are offered are honors or AP level classes and all students are mandated to take a computer science course as well.
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13. Stuyvesant High School – Brooklyn, New York
While Stuyvesant High School is theoretically a free, public school, it is also a magnet school. This means that students have to apply and take a test to be admitted, and it is the hardest one to get into in New York City. So to no ones surprise, its a very good school whose students are very capable. They have earned an SAT composite range of 2140 to 2210, and they have the second-highest standardized test scores in the entire state of New York. They even offer college-level courses for gifted students.
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12. Monta Vista High School – Cupertino, California
Ranked as the number eight school in the country for their STEM program and receiving an SAT composite score between 2080 and 2130, Monta Vista High School is up next on our list. Nearly 100% of every graduating class goes on to attend some college, and many of those are schools like Yale, Princeton, MIT, and Harvard. This is yet another public school whose program and funding is so strong, that they are basically a private high school.
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11. New Trier Township High School – Winnetka, Illinois
All you have to do is look at New Trier Township High School, and you immediately know that this would be a great place to send your children. They offer a rigorous curriculum intended to help students gain entry into prestigious colleges and universities, and offer a range of different classes. 80% of the students that take their AP exams here earn either a 4 or a 5, and their SAT composite range is between 1980 and 2010.
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10. Saratoga High School – Saratoga, California
Saratoga High School received an SAT composite range from Niche that was between 2020 and 2070. The school is in close proximity to Silicon Valley, so they offer a wide range of technology and computer science courses here in addition to their regular offerings. Their STEM program is ranked as number 11 according to U.S. News and 32% of the class of 2015 are recognized by the National merit Scholarship program in some way or another.
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9. Liberal Arts & Science Academy – Austin, Texas
The Liberal Arts & Science Academy is a prestigious magnet school in Austin, very similar to Stuyvesant High School. The school received an SAT composite range between 2020 and 2070 from Niche, and have always been consistently ranked as one of the best schools in the United States. This past year the school had 50 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists and 33 commended scholars, and they offer a range of advanced courses.
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8. Henry M. Gunn High School – Palo Alto, California
We find yet another Californian high school on our list, and this time it’s Henry M. Gunn High School. The school offers a range of advanced courses for students, free private tutoring sessions, and an SAT focused program that helps prepare students for the upcoming test. This is why Niche has given them an SAT composite range between 2020 and 2070.
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7. Lynbrook High School – San Jose, California
Lynbrook High School offers a well-rounded education and boasts a solid athletic department as well. The school offers many different classes and a range of applied academics on college inspired topics like applied business theory and industrial technology. Later year 50% of students that took an AP exam received a score of 5, which is the highest. As you can clearly see, California has one of the best public school systems in the nation.
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6. BASIS Scottsdale – Scottsdale, Arizona
BASIS has a variety of different schools around the nation, however out of all their various locations, the school in Scottsdale is ranked as the best one. They are ranked as the best school in the state and the best charter school in the nation. Niche gave them an SAT composite range of 2140 to 2210 which is among the highest.
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5. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School – Chicago, Illinois
Ranked as the second best high-school in all of Illinois, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School received an SAT composite range between 1980 and 2010. They have many advanced courses and are one of the few public high schools that offers Mandarin Chinese for students to learn.
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4. Westlake High School – Austin, Texas
Ranked as the number one high school in Texas and having received many other awards, Westlake High School in Austin is one of the very best schools in the nation. They offer a variety of strong academic programs in addition to an exchange program in South Korea. Niche gave them an SAT composite range between 1980 and 2010.
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3. High Technology High School – Lincroft, New Jersey
Next up we have the High Technology High School located in New Jersey.U.S. News ranks High Technology High School as having the second best STEM program in the country. They have an SAT composite score that ranges between 2220 and 2280, which is one of the highest on our list. As the name implies, a heavy emphasis on technology and the sciences are found at this high school.
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2. International Academy – Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
The Internation Academy in Michigan not only received an SAT composite score that ranges between 2020 and 2070, but they are also the highest ranked high school in the entire state. All students at this high school participate in an International Baccalaureate program where they can earn up to a year’s worth of credit that can be used at college and it is an all-around amazing public high school.
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1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology – Annandale, Virginia
Locking down the number one spot on our list is the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. They scored an SAT composite range of 2220-2280, and they have the best STEM program out of all high schools in the United States. All courses are taught at either advanced, AP, or higher levels and over 97% of the previous graduating class earned atlas a 3 on their previous AP exams.
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